It’s Okay to Just Say ‘NO’

Time and time again, I used to find myself in the situation where I’m working on 12 projects with 14 open and 2 pending. Not sure how I thought I could do that much alone….well, actually I wasn’t. I would take on so many jobs at once, all due around the same time, some low in pay and non-paid, all because I was afraid to say, ‘No.’ Saying no in business does not equate to being mean. As a true business person, you have to know your boundaries, stand your ground firm and try not to overwork / overextend yourself because, what good are you to your business or clients then? Below I’ll cover a few situations in business where you may be hesitant to say ‘no’.

Family & Friends – This Sh*t Ain’t Free

It seems like the most difficult thing to do sometimes, especially when it comes to friends or family. Some people try to give you the guilt trip or make you feel like you owe them something, when the reality is, you DON’T. This is YOUR BUSINESS and how you make a living and you deserve to get paid your worth. It’s cool to be nice and giving sometimes, but you can’t give so much of you that you become drained or stressed out. Some people may not understand the aspect or your business and want you to just, “do this real quick”, however time is something you can’t get back and the worst feeling is getting behind on your actual work and neglecting your clients to do something for free, that the person most likely won’t appreciate or understand the true value of . To avoid stressing yourself out, don’t feel bad about it, just say ‘no’. Business is business at the end of the day and you’ve got to take your business serious if you want them to respect it and if they are true friends and family, they’ll be down to pay for and support you in your endeavors.

Discounts Are For Dollar Tree

You have those people that claim to support you, but always want a little hook up. -_- It’s perfectly fine to offer a discount from time to time for those people you’ve built a relationship with, however, don’t make it a habit. Ever heard, “give em an inch they’ll take a mile”? Yeah, it’s bound to happen. Don’t feel bad, communicate. It’s okay to tell this person ‘no’, as well. If you’re working hard and giving them great service and great work, they should be willing to pay you your standard rate for what they are getting. Don’t shortchange yourself.

HELP! It’s an emergency!

Yikes. There’s always that one person that needs something and they need it in a flash. It feels good to help out when you can, however, sometimes you simply CAN’T. Maybe what they are asking for is beyond the scope of what you can provide or possibly they aren’t willing to provide the resources for what they are asking for. Whatever the case may be, this is another situation where it’s okay to say , ‘No’.

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Many times in these situations where you are doing someone a favor, these are the same people that will talk bad about you if you don’t meet their free or discounted unrealistic needs and standards. Save each party the stress and don’t be afraid to express yourself and communicate if it’s something in business you are unable or don’t want to do. A good way to ease the bad news is to provide them with an alternate resource for what they are looking for or requesting.

Remember to never be afraid to speak up for yourself if there is something you disagree with and value your time. In business, you have to look out for yourself and if you don’t respect your business, no one else will. You can’t always be nice and you won’t be everyone’s friend.

“A ‘No’ uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble .” – Mahatma Gandhi